Grand Prix posted record numbers this past weekend

DETROIT - Thousands of fans took advantage of the nice weather over the weekend to visit the 25th Grand Prix event, posting record numbers.

It was estimated that 110,000 fans attended the event over the course of it's three-day run. That was approximately 25,00 fans on Friday, 40,000 on Saturday and just over 45,000 on Sunday.

There has not been higher attendance for the event since it returned to Detroit in 2007.

While there, fans had the opportunity to get free monster truck rides, see demonstrations from the Monster Energy BMX team and receive free autographs from former athletes like Larry Murphy, Mateen Cleaves, Joe Kocur, and Lomas Brown.

"It was a remarkable weekend for everyone at the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix," said the Grand Prix Chairman Bud Denker, "The numbers are impressive but the true value was in the smiles on people's faces as they experienced the event and all that Belle Isle has to offer."

Not only will the fans have a weekend to remember but General Motors will as well. Racing near their world headquarters, Chevrolet and Team Penske swept the Verizon IndyCat Series doubleheader. Will Power won the first Indy Dual in Detroit on Saturday and Helio Castroneves took home his third career victory in Detroit on Sunday in the Dual II.

Other winners included Jordan and Ricky Taylor in the Chevrolet Sports Car Classic. Richard Westbrook and Michael Valiante took second in the Spirit of Daytona. Johnny O'Connell won both the Pirelli World Challenge Series races and his teammate Andy Pilgrim took second.

EJ Viso won all three races in the new SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Truck Series.

The goal now is to try and ensure next year's Grand Prix is as successful as this past event has been. And with Chevrolet already announcing a multiyear extension and plans to repave parts of the race circuit it appears plans are already in motion to make that happen.